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Cavaliers select Andrew Wiggins with the No. 1 pick in 2014 NBA Draft

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

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The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Kansas wing Andrew Wiggins with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft on Thursday night.

Wiggins entered the college season as the consensus number-one pick, a ranking that rarely dropped beneath a top-three consensus all year long. A gifted athlete and excellent defender, the main question for Wiggins is whether he has the potential to become a top-tier scorer at the NBA level, something there is a great deal of disagreement on.

Wiggins averaged 17.1 points and 5.9 rebounds as a freshman in a Kansas system that doesn't tend to favor superstar play, especially for freshmen. He's reportedly done appreciable work on his handle since the season ended, which could allow him to become a bigger threat creating for himself off the bounce. 

As it stands, he's likely to be an instant difference-maker on the defensive end, a versatile wing stopper who may eventually guard three positions. His floor is that of a defense-first starter, and his ceiling remains uncapped if he can develop "the edge" some feel he needs on offense.

Wiggins should fit well with the Cavs, who don't have a clear starter at the two or the three. Not only does he join Kyrie Irving to form a potentially devastating one-two punch, he also joins fellow Canadians in Anthony Bennett and Tristan Thompson. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert was said to prefer this route, while general manager David Griffin was thought to favor Jabari Parker, who is now expected to go No. 2 to the Milwaukee Bucks.

"I was nervous," Wiggins said of the wait while Cleveland was on the clock. "It (the clock) hit zero and it felt like there were two more minutes."

While some were split on Wiggins' ultimate upside, it would have been hard to fault the Cavs with any of the top picks here.

You can read more about Wiggins in our scouting report.

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